Information

The Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite "GOSAT" (nicknamed “IBUKI”) was successfully launched on January 23, 2009 and it has been on operation to observe the greenhouse gases.

As an activity of the GOSAT Project, the RA was informed in eight times so far and many outcomes have been reported from the RA researchers. Aiming to promote utilizing and applying the GOSAT data to the creative RA researches with new perspectives, the promoters of the GOSAT Project, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) (hereinafter “the Three Parties”), invite research proposals anytime during the Project continuing period. We encourage you to submit your application and new research proposals.

Although the proposals are always invited, some deadlines are set for the review and selection by the GOSAT RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. Described here is the 9th RA, and its schedule is shown in the bottom of this announcement.

This announcement is open to international science and technology communities, as well as to individual investigators of any nationality and researchers of any organization, including educational, governmental, and private institutions. Proposals must be for non-profit and peaceful purposes and should be prepared either in Japanese or English.

Once your proposal is accepted, you will be registered as the RA user and given several rights such as below:

2)To request the delivery of standard products without any cost prior to their release to the general users.

3)To request the delivery of research products* for the RA research without any cost. (*Research products are not released to the general users.)

4)To request the delivery of FTS SWIR L2 data products to which less screening criteria are applied than the standard products and obtain them without any cost.

5)To request to process FTS SWIR L2 data products without any screening criteria of the data quality, which were not generated. In making such request, researchers are asked to check browse images of CAI and confirm that there is no cloud within the field of view of FTS. The request will be accepted only when those data are necessary for the RA research.

6)To obtain additional information of the FTS SWIR L2 data products (column abundances of CO2, CH4, and H2O (SWIR)), so-called the “sub-datasets” of the FTS L2 data products, if they are necessary for the RA research.

7)To participate in the GOSAT RA PI Meeting (closed meeting) which will be held by the Three Parties.

8)To download a large volume of data products via the NIES FTP site.

All submitted proposals will be evaluated by the GOSAT RA Selection and Evaluation Committee designated by the Three Parties.

Please read the following RA documents for details.When you apply for the RA, please send the completed appendix D, the “Contents of Research Proposal and Application Form” to the GOSAT RA Office () via e-mail.

Schedule for the 9th RA (Current RA) *(Memos bracketed are principles for the later RAs after the 9th)

Call for new research proposals.

November 17, 2014

Submission deadline

September 30, 2015*

Notification of the selection results.[To be informed immediately after the selection.]

November 30, 2015

Concluding the agreement.[The Three Parties and the RO of the PI whose research proposal was accepted shall execute the contract. If the PI does not belong to any organization, the PI shall execute the contract instead.]

November 30, 2015 and later

First submission of the interim and progress reports.

December 28, 2016

* Submission deadline of 9th RA was postponed. Applications and research proposals are invited even after September 30, 2015. Schedules for the 10th RA and the following RAs will be posted on this website in an appropriate timing.

The selection result of the 8th Research Announcement on GOSAT

November 28, 2014

We acknowledge and appreciate all the researchers who submitted their research proposals in response to the 8th GOSAT Research Announcement (RA). All proposals were reviewed by our assigned reviewers and their review results were evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. The Committee's final selection was approved by the Three Parties (JAXA, NIES, and MOE), which we are pleased to announce at the list below. Each selected proposer will be requested to execute the Joint Research Agreement with the Three Parties to initiate the research.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Validation ***

Voltaire A. Velazco

University of Wollongong(Australia)

Southern Hemisphere Validation of GOSAT XCO2 and XCH4 Spatio-Temporal Variability from TCCON solar FTS Measurements in Australia and New Zealand

The Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite "GOSAT" (IBUKI) was successfully launched on January 23, 2009 and more than five years have passed since GOSAT started its on-orbit operation, and high-quality GOSAT data have been accumulated now. In the GOSAT Project, the RA was made for seven times, and consequently, numerous research outcomes were achieved by RA researchers. With the objectives of improving the use of GOSAT products by the RA researchers and enhancing the variability and the possibility of research outcomes, such as creative research outcomes from a new point of view accomplished through the use of GOSAT data by wider range of researchers around the world, the Three Parties, which are the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), have been inviting for research proposals anytime during the Project. We encourage you to submit your application.

This announcement is open to international science and technology communities. Individual investigators of any nationality and researchers of any organization, including educational, governmental, and private institutions. Proposals must be for non-profit and peaceful purposes and should be prepared either in Japanese or English.

Once your proposal is approved, you are registered as RA user and have the following rights:

1)To submit Observation Requests on the sensors to implement your research objectives.

2)To request the delivery of standard products without any cost prior to their release to the public.

3)To request the delivery of research products for your RA research without any cost.

4)To request the delivery of FTS L2 data products with less screening than the standard products and get them without any cost.

5)To request to process FTS L2 data products, which are not generated because of some reasons, and get them without any cost. In making such request, you have to confirm that there is no cloud over the area with browse images, which include the targeted observing point. The request will be accepted only when those data are necessary for your RA research.

6)To obtain information in addition to the FTS L2 data products (column abundances of CO2, CH4, and H2O (SWIR)), so-called “sub-datasets” of these products, if necessary for your research.

Schedule for the 8th RA (Current RA) (*2)(Memos bracketed are principles for the later RAs after 8th)

Release of RA[See *2 for the 8th and following RAs.]

March 16, 2014

Submission deadline

September 30, 2014(*2)

Notification of the selection results[To be informed immediately after the selection.]

November 28, 2014

Sign-up of the agreement[The Three Parties and the RO of the PI whose research proposal was accepted shall execute the contract. If the PI does not belong to any organization, the PI shall execute the contract instead.]

December 1, 2014 and later

Submission of interim reports.[In principle, the first interim report shall be submitted within one year after the acceptance of the proposal.]

December 28, 2015

(*2) Applications and research proposals are always invited and accepted - even after September 30, 2014. Schedules for the eighth RA and all of following RAs will be posted on the NIES GOSAT Project website in an appropriate timing. In case no proposal is submitted or no proposal is selected during the above period, the Three Parties will continue to invite research proposals under the ongoing RA number without making a new announcement number. For example, if no research proposal is submitted in response to the eighth RA, the Three Parties will carry the selection board over to the next RA committee meeting and continue to invite research proposals under the same number. The schedule revised by adjustment will be publicized via the NIES GOSAT Project website or other appropriate means.

The selection result of the 7th Research Announcement on GOSAT

April 24, 2014

We acknowledge and appreciate all the researchers who submitted their research proposals in response to the 7th GOSAT Research Announcement. All proposals were reviewed by our assigned reviewers and their review result was evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. The Committee's final selection was approved by the Three Parties (JAXA, NIES, and MOE), which we are pleased to announce below. The selected proposer is requested to execute the Joint Research Agreement to initiate the research.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data application ***

Muhammad Evri

Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) of Indonesia(Indonesia)

Multistage Sensing of Land-Atmosphere and Monitoring of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Over Indonesia Using GOSAT Toward National Platform of Climate Change (National Action Plan for GHG; RAN-GRK)

Renewal of the General Contractual Conditions for the Joint Research

February 18, 2014

As the GOSAT completed its five-year regular operation phase on January 22, 2014, and moves to its post operation phase, the Three Parties have just issued a revised General Contractual Conditions for the Joint Research as of January 17, 2014. This renewal aims to improve PI’s convenience by clarifying the content of the Contract. The main modification is that the term of the Joint Research based on the New Contract is for a maximum of four years considering the GOSAT observation is continuing for more years.

For more details, please refer to the New Contract. (You can download it.)

We have just started inviting research proposals for the 7th RA based on the New Contract. The submission deadline is March 15, 2014. We encourage you to submit your application. For details of the application, please see “The 7th Research Announcement (RA)” on this page.

The selection result of the 6th Research Announcement on GOSAT

November 29, 2013

We acknowledge and appreciate all the researchers who submitted their research proposals in response to the 6th GOSAT Research Announcement. All proposals were reviewed by our assigned reviewers and their review results were evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. As their selection results were approved by the Three Parties (JAXA, NIES, and MOE), we are now pleased to announce the final selection results. All the selected proposers are requested to execute the Joint Research Agreement to initiate the research.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Validation ***

Laura T. Iraci

NASA Ames Research Center(USA)

Comparison of GOSAT Column Observations with In-situ Measurements over the Western United States

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data application ***

Santiago Gasso

Morgan State University(USA)

Remote Sensing of Aerosols in the UV wavelength range

Christoph Popp

Smithsonian Institution(USA)

Observation and quantification of CO2 emissions from explosive volcanism using GOSAT measurements

The selection result of the 5th Research Announcement on GOSAT

April 30, 2013

We acknowledge and appreciate all the researchers who submitted their research proposals in response to the 5th GOSAT Research Announcement. All the proposals were reviewed by several professionals respectively and the review results were evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. As the selection result was approved by the Three Parties (JAXA, NIES, and MOE), we are now pleased to announce the final selection results. All the selected proposers are requested to execute the Joint Research Agreement to initiate the research.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Validation ***

Dietrich Feist

Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry(Germany)

Validation of TANSO-FTS sunglint measurements over the tropical Atlantic ocean

Xingying Zhang

China Meteorological Administration(Chaina)

Validation of GOSAT SWIR CO2 data products over China

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data application ***

Satoru Fukuda

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(Japan)

Algorithm development and prior examination of validation for EarthCARE/MSI by use of CAI

Johanna Tamminen

Finnish Meteorological Institute(Finland)

Validation of the retrieval algorithms of GOSAT-FTS and Sodankyla FTIR instruments

Lin Zhang

Peking University(Chaina)

Estimation of methane emissions over Asia using satellite observations and adjoint modeling

The selection result of the 4th Research Announcement on GOSAT

December 3, 2012

We acknowledge and appreciate all the researchers who submitted their research proposals in response to the 4th GOSAT Research Announcement. All the proposals were reviewed by several professionals respectively and the review results were evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. As the selection result was approved by the Three Parties (JAXA, NIES, and MOE), we are now pleased to announce the final selection results. All the selected proposers are requested to execute the Joint Research Agreement to initiate the research.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Validation ***

Nicholas Deutscher

University of Bremen(Germany)

Development of a validation product for GOSAT water vapour retrievals

Jianping Mao

University of Maryland(USA)

Validation of GOSAT CO2 Retrievals over the United States with in-situ CO2 Measurements during ASCENDS Science Campaigns and Improvement of Fluorescence Retrievals with GOSAT

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data processing algorithms ***

Yi Liu

Institute of Atmospheric Physics , Chinese Academy of Sciences(China)

Retrieval algorithm development

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data application ***

Xiufeng Wang

Hokkaido University(Japan)

Examining the relationships between global climate and GHG concentrations

Lim Hwee San

Universiti Sains Malaysia(Malaysia)

Regression analysis in modeling of carbon dioxide and factors affecting its value in Peninsular Malaysia

The selection result of the third Research Announcement on GOSAT

February 1, 2011

We acknowledge and appreciate all the researchers who submitted their research proposals in response to the 3rd GOSAT Research Announcement. All the proposals were reviewed by several professionals respectively and the review results were evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee. As the selection result was approved by the Three Parties (JAXA, NIES, and MOE), we are now pleased to announce the final selection results. All the selected proposers are requested to execute the Joint Research Agreement to initiate the research.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Validation ***

Li Zhang

Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)(China)

The validation of GOSAT CO2 flux product over the grasslands

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data processing algorithms ***

Hirofumi Oyama

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(Japan)

Observation of air pollutants from GOSAT thermal infrared spectra

Otto Hasekamp

SRON-Netherlands Institute for Space Research(Netherlands)

Retrieval of CH4 from GOSAT-FTS measurements using a full physics approach based on accurate radiative transfer and an approach using the CO2 column as a light path proxy

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Carbon balance estimation, atmospheric transport models ***

Peter Rayner

University of Melbourne(Australia)

Assimilating GOSAT CO2 into a combined weather/climate model

Ray Nassar

Environment Canada(Canada)

Estimation of CO2 and its fluxes by joint assimilation of GOSAT data and insitu measurements

Dylan Bryce A. Jones

University of Toronto(Canada)

Estimation and attribution of global CO2 surface fluxes using satellite observations of CO2 and CO from TES, GOSAT, and Mopitt

Evaluation of long-range transport of greenhouse gases (hereinafter refer to as "GHGs")(CO2 and CH4) and estimation of GHGs emission sources using GOSAT data and atmospheric chemistry model for the better understanding of carbon cycle

Postponement of proposal submission deadline for the 3rd RA

On August 20th of this year, the GOSAT RA Office released the 3rd Research Announcement (RA) regarding GOSAT Joint Research. As a result, we have received some Research Proposals up to now.

Since we received some requests from potential applicants to extend the submission deadline, the original of which was October 29, 2010, we have decided to extend it with respect to all of the research fields by one week: The new deadline is November 8, 2010 (Japan Standard Time).

We would appreciate it if you could take an advantage of the extension and try actively for submitting proposals.

Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) The Third Research Announcement

August 20, 2010

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) (hereafter referred to as the "Three Parties" collectively) are jointly promoting the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite "IBUKI" (GOSAT) Project. The spacecraft was launched successfully on January 23, 2009, and has been operating properly since then. The GOSAT observational data and its processed products are released to the public. The Three Parties would like to accept research proposals for the third time for the purpose of facilitating the data quality evaluation, including calibration, validation, and the utilization of the GOSAT data.

As appeared in the first and the second Research Announcement (RA), which adopted 88 research proposals in total, the Three Parties would like to accept research proposals in any of the following five specific topics also in the third RA:
1) Calibration,
2) Data processing algorithm,
3) Carbon balance estimation / Atmospheric transport modeling,
4) Validation, and
5) Data application.

This announcement is open to international science and technology community. Individual investigators of any nationality and researchers of any organization, including educational, governmental, and private institutions, are encouraged to apply. Proposals must be for non-profit and peace purposes and should be prepared either in Japanese or English. All submitted proposals are to be evaluated by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee for the Three Parties.

The Three Parties will hold a workshop sometime in the first half of the next year for principle investigators of the selected research proposals.

Please read the following documents and apply for the third RA by emailing the application form to the GOSAT RA Office () by October 29, 2010. Your application will be greatly appreciated.

GOSAT Information regarding the Interrim Reports

Dear GOSAT 2nd RA Principal Investigators (PI),

July 6, 2010

We would like to inform you about interim reports mentioned in the GOSAT RA main text (page 14, 22) and the General Contractual Conditions for the Joint Research on the GOSAT data (Section 2.2.2)*.
As for the interim reports, please prepare a progress report and an interim report by following the instructions written below. They shall be together submitted to the Three Parties through the GOSAT RA Office by September 30, 2010.

The selection result of the second Research Announcement on GOSAT

August 28, 2009

We acknowledge a number of the submissions for the second Research Announcement on GOSAT. We have already disclosed the selection result for RA* researchers ( Calibration, Validation and Data Processing Algorithm) . In addition, we are disclosing the result for the RA+ researchers ( Carbon Balance Estimation/Atmospheric Transport Models and Data Application), selected, based on the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee who referred to the reviewers' opinion, followed by the approval of the Three Parties ( JAXA, NIES and MOE) . RA researchers are requested to execute the Research Agreement and to conduct the research, and, as shown in the end, to participate in the 2nd PI Meeting scheduled in late January. ( There is a researcher, to be selected under a condition. He will be listed up when the condition is satisfied.)

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Carbon balance estimation, atmospheric transport models ***

Fred Prata

Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) (Norway)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in South Asia using Inverse Modelling

Emile Pelikan

Institute of Computer Science, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Czech Republic)

Modeling of the CO2 and CH4 fluxes using advanced mathematical techniques

Assimilation and validation in Coupled Aerosol Tracers and Transport model to the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System and the version of CPTEC General Circulation Atmospheric Model Including chemistry and aerosol.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Data application ***

Reginald R. Muskett

University of Alaska Fairbanks (U.S.A)

GOSAT and Oceanographic Observations of CO2 and CH4 on the Laptev and East Siberian Shelf Seas

Yutaka Kondo

University of Tokyo (Japan)

Evaluation of uncertainties of aerosol parameters using a regional three-dimensional model

Luis Guanter

University of Valencia, Spain (Spain)

Space-based analysis of the relationship between vegetation functioning and atmospheric CO2 and CH4 greenhouse gases.

R. P. Singh

Agriculture, Forestry and Environment Group (RESA) (India)

Interaction Between Atmospheric Greenhouse Gases and Terrestrial Biospheric Processes Over Indian Subcontinent

Validation of GOSAT methane,carbon dioxide,and water vapor at the Ground-Truthing Facility Garmisch/Zugspitze

Christopher D. Barnet

NOAA / NESDIS / STAR(U.S.A)

Comparison of GOSAT CH4 and CO2 with NOAA/NESDIS operational trace gases products retrieved from AIRS, IASI and CrIS and use of CAI aerosol product for NOAA synergy studies of using satellite data for air quality applications

Cyril Crevoisier

Centre Nantional de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)(France)

Quality control of radiances, validation of greenhouse gas products, and study of CO2 diurnal cycle.

Ugo Cortesi

Institute for Applied Physics "Nello Carrara" of the Italian National Research Council (IFAC-CNR)(Italia)

RA* users : August 3, 2009 or laterRA+ users : August 31, 2009 or later

The second Meeting of the GOSAT_RA Principal Investigators / Workshop

January 2009

Submission of interim reports

September 30, 2010

NB: "RA users" are those researchers who research on themes adopted by the Three Parties in a research announcement. RA users are divided into RA* users and RA+ users in a following way: "RA* users" are RA users who are engaged in research activities that concern calibration validation or algorithms, and "RA+ users" RA users who are engaged in research activities that concern models and data application.

The selection result of the first Research Announcement on GOSAT

August 29, 2008

We acknowledge a number of submissions of the first Research Announcement on GOSAT. After the deadline of the submission on 7th July of this year, 52 research proposals were selected as candidate of adopted research proposals by the RA Selection and Evaluation Committee, based on the evaluation results of the reviewers, and adopted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA), the National Institute for Environmental Studies(NIES) and the Ministry of the Environment(MOE). The respective adopted researchers will implement their researches after the joint research agreement is executed. The first meeting of the Principal Investigator will be held in November as a kick-off meeting of the beginning the researches, and the open workshop will be held as well. The details are at the end of this page.

Principal Investigator

Research Organization

Research theme

*** Calibration ***

L. Larrabee Strow

University of Maryland Baltimore County(U.S.A)

Infrared Validation and Mid-Tropospheric CO2 from the FTS GoSAT Sensor